The injury cost him the second half of the NASCAR season. The accident Saturday came almost exactly a year after Stewart suffered a compound fracture to his right leg in a sprint car race in Iowa. The multimillionaire is known to participate in races with purses worth less than $3,000 and drive alongside drivers of varying ages and talent levels. Stewart often competes in extracurricular events. The 20-year-old from Port Leyden, New York, was Empire Super Sprint rookie of the year in 2012 and this year was his fifth season racing the Empire Super Sprints. Ward's website says he began racing go-karts in 1998 at age 4, but didn't start driving sprint cars until 2010. The dirt track, about 30 miles southeast of Rochester, canceled the remainder of the race and later posted a message on its Facebook page encouraging fans to "pray for the entire racing community of fans, drivers, and families.'' "It just seemed like he was suddenly gone.'' "The next thing I could see, I didn't see (the other driver) anymore,'' witness Michael Messerly said. Povero said Ward, who was wearing a black firesuit and black helmet, had walked into the racing area and one car swerved to avoid him before he was struck by Stewart. Video of the incident showed Ward walking from his crashed car onto the racing surface as cars circled by, and, as he gestured at Stewart's passing car, he was struck. Ward had crashed following contact with Stewart during a race Saturday night in Canandaigua, and then got out of his car as it was stopped along the fence. Stewart's team initially said he still planned to race Sunday, saying it was "business as usual." Regan Smith will replace Stewart in the car. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy." It's a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I've decided not to participate in today's race at Watkins Glen. In a statement, Stewart said: "There aren't words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. (CBSNewYork/AP) - Tony Stewart released a statement Sunday saying he is saddened by the death of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr., whom the three-time NASCAR champion struck and killed during a race at an upstate New York dirt track a day earlier.Įarlier Sunday, Greg Zipadelli, competition director for Stewart-Haas Racing, announced Stewart would not compete at a NASCAR race at Watkins Glen following the fatal incident.
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